A girl made a post about the parenting class she took, where she was given some information regarding breastfeeding that she didn't think was correct. She had asked her mom, who told her something different. So she came on to clarify. One of the other members responds to her to listen to her mother, because nurses really are not the smartest people.
I normally just try to ignore the ignorant things people say, it's the internet after all. But that just aggravated me. First off, no where in her post did she say a nurse taught the class. Secondly, way to stereotype a group of people. Here, let me give you a pretend report on one of my ICU patients, and see how much you understand. Then tell me how "not smart" nurses really are. That would be like me saying Stay at home moms are lazy and that is why they don't work. Ugh.. sorry just needed to vent to people who understand. I don't know why it bugged me so much, but it did.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Ugh you have got to love the naturalists!There is a page on facebook called my Ob said what!?They love to bash nurses and obs on there.It drives me insane!And they claim to be the educated ones!
Ironically, I used to be one of them. Maybe that's why I can relate so well to the women who come into my hospital to have a baby, and they're petrified that the nurses and doctors are going to do all kinds of things to them against their will. I've been there, so I understand the fear and distrust that forms the basis of their antagonistic attitude towards all medical professionals.
Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.
Hmm, for the record, don't come to me for breastfeeding advice! All I know I learned in school, because I am a MedSurg nurse, have never breastfed nor have I ever BEEN breastfed!
I actually had a patient ask me if we had to "go to school for that." Nope. Came to the hospital, tried on the scrubs...I was hired!
And a hospital employee said to me one day, "I don't understand why nurses are paid more than techs. All they do is give medicine. The techs do everything else."
(Seriously, my fellow RN friend's husband called her a "doctor's secretary" a few weeks ago. He's still in trouble!)
those nonbelievers have to EXPERIENCE what an RN does to fully understand, until then, let it go, people. They don't know what they DON'T KNOW. Many many patients and visitors are shocked when they see what nurses do, and when we try to explain things to them, they're confused/lost because it's too much. I don't try to explain when I'm working. I give basic information while I'm moving along, telling them I have XYZ to do and I'll be back to give more information (to the family) when I have a moment. I usually hear comments regarding how busy and how much we have to know to be able to do our job. Those people will talk to other people and it will spread like wildfire and reach some of those ignoramus' out there.
yea, the public really has no idea what we actually do. Everyone knows it is the doctors that are at the bedside for crazy busy 12 hr shifts titrating pressors, drawing labs, intervening in order to avoid an actual code. It really is sad.
We need to keep in mind that the "nurse" she refers to might have taken a medical terminology class and flunked out. Laypeople don't always catch the difference between a registerd nurse and some podiatrist's secretary.
As far as breastfeeding/childcare issues, it's very easy to have completely opposite opinions and both parties intelligent and able to defend their choice. ESPECIALLY regarding things like breastfeeding and circumcision. There are some very defensive people around.
My husbands one friend was dating a girl who was going through nursing school, graduated and has been working in the ER for several years now. They had a very love/hate relationship going on and were always fighting over something. Naturally they broke up.
One day my husband, his friend and I were driving somewhere and began talking about careers. I mentioned that I wanted to become an RN. His friend then went on to say that 'nursing isn't that hard and that anyone can do it'. He based this thought solely on his opinion about his ex. Since he thought she was lazy and stupid and was able to become an RN it meant being an RN isn't difficult.
I tried to argue it but stopped because it wasn't getting anywhere and I also think he likes to 'troll' me sometimes. At least I'm hoping he was this time because that really is an ignorant statement.
Well, I am an RN AND I was able to breastfeed two kids. Does my opinion count?
I considered becoming an instructor, or working w/La Lache at one time. But there is so much in the way of 'politics' when it comes to breast-feeding, I didn't want to push my ideas on everyone.
Well, I am an RN AND I was able to breastfeed two kids. Does my opinion count?
I considered becoming an instructor, or working w/La Lache at one time. But there is so much in the way of 'politics' when it comes to breast-feeding, I didn't want to push my ideas on everyone.
This takes the term "nursing" to new heights....
Yesterday there was a post from a male would-be nurse who queried whether nursing was "girly". One of the responses stated that "Men invented nursing," but if you consider the origin of the term, it would be a bit difficult for your average guy, unless he was on Eglonyl....
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
i go through this at every family function! my aunt (manager at sunoco) and her girlfriend (it nerd) wanted me to go to an all women's (no pun intended) college in the area with a bsn program. my aunt's girlfriend claimed that you could never do anything as a nurse if you didn't have a bsn (half-right). please keep in mind that neither of them have ever had any health care experience nor has anyone in my family or the girlfriend's family. anyways, i graduated from a hospital diploma program and at graduation my aunt leaned over and asked my mom if i could test to be an lpn now (after hearing about our rn program 100 times throughout the ceremony).
one year at christmas dinner, i was running late because i had a patient in dic that i was replacing with the entire blood bank. i was explaining this disease process and my actions to my younger cousin (future nurse) and my aunt just stared at me and said, "oh, i didn't know nurses could give blood products. i though you needed to have a lot of schooling to do that." last spring, my gram was having stroke-like symptoms and called me at work to see what i thought. i told her she should go to the er to be seen and that they would probably do this and that and admit her. well, my aunt's girlfriend told my gram that it would be best to ask the pa that lived next door because they work with physicians and are very smart. surprisingly, he said the same thing as me!
i guess after my diploma, bsn, and graduate courses... i still haven't had enough education! ughhh, some people just drive me nuts!!!
i have to laugh. i've been through this at family functions as well. one year my cousin (a horticulturist) told me that he had decided to go to nursing school because he wanted an easy job with no stress. dh and i nearly ruptured ourselves trying not to laugh in his face. my cousin lasted a month in nursing school, then decided that horticulture wasn't so stressful after all.
i have a bsn and a graduate degree in another field; dh has a diploma and a long history of varied "b-flat" jobs (before the diploma and nursing) and following his favorite bands on tour. all the relatives ask him for medical advice because the fact that he's male either means that he's smarter than me or maybe he's a doctor. dh is one of the smartest people i know, but he's an r.n. just like me. guess all my education doesn't make me any smarter -- or as smart -- as the male r.n.
oh yes, I get so irritated by people who think our job is cake, or that we don't have to be smart and don't have to do anything. I had a "friend" the other day that said, man I wish I could trade you jobs so that i could have an easy job too!! I was mad!! So I tried "educating" her on all that we REALLY have to do, it's not like greys anatomy....on my floor, we run our tails off, all day long, non stop. She's like...oh, you just have to give meds and clean up poop!!!! man, i was P.O.'d. Those people have NO idea. I know I just need to ignore those types, but sometimes, I just can't help myself. I find it so insulting that I run my butt of every single day, trying to keep the sick ones from crashing, and people think my job is cake and chalk it up to nothing, and then wonder why the heck i'm so tired. man....i need to stop ranting...hahaha. :) But yes, I feel your pain.
klone, MSN, RN
14,857 Posts
Ironically, I used to be one of them. Maybe that's why I can relate so well to the women who come into my hospital to have a baby, and they're petrified that the nurses and doctors are going to do all kinds of things to them against their will. I've been there, so I understand the fear and distrust that forms the basis of their antagonistic attitude towards all medical professionals.